Kwakiutl "kwah-kee-oo-tl."
Jan 02, 2016
What type of climate do the Kwakiutl people
live in?
What kinds of plants can grow in their
environment?
The Pacific Northwest has a very mild climate
It is cool in the summer time and has very mild winter time.
This area of North America experiences high levels of precipitation with some areas receiving up to 200” of rain per year. Georgia’s average rain fall per
year is 50”.
- The women of the Kwaliutl tribe gathered plants such as berries, roots, and nuts that grew wild. To collect salt
to flavor theirfood, the women gathered seaweed
from the ocean.
What did the Kwakiutl people eat?Their main source of meat was
caribou hunted by the men. They also hunted moose, deer, rabbits,
and beaver.Fish, especially salmon, was a
staple in their diet. Other commons foods included seal,
clams, and sea otters. They fished in canoes made of
cedarand redwood trees harvested from the dense forests surrounding their
villages.Occasionally they could even catch
a whale with wooden harpoons.
From the abundant forests of cedar and redwood trees, the Kwakiutl built houses
calledplank houses, or clan houses. Each building of planks could house 30-40 members of the
same clan. Each family had an area of the one room dwelling and each cooked their
own foodon their own cook fire. Clans would construct totem poles, which showed family legends,
events, or symbols. Made of wood and carved with figures of animals or people, totem poles
became family identification symbols.
The Kwakiutl made rain capes and coatsfrom animal skins. They also used tree bark and wood to make shoes with hard soles.
Woman made jewelry from bird feathers, sea shells fish scales.
What are the Kwakiutl traditions and what was their culture like?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eRAXhYSLlM